A Wrecked Remembrance
by Awakened Angel
Summary: It's been two years since she's seen his smile through more than pictures on Facebook or heard his laugh through more than phone calls that lost connection too easily. Since she's been able to smile or laugh back at him. And now that they're both back, Arya must finally settle a whole lifetime of feelings that have gone unresolved for far too long. Written for Gendrya Week 2015.
1. Midnight

The moment she walked into the house, she was surrounded by hugs and kisses from her whole family, including the dogs. Arya hadn't even been able to see the inside of the house, something her parents have been telling her about for months since they had decided to remodel it. Letting go of her bag and allowing it to fall to the floor, she hugged her family back and kissed them all on the cheek. Untangling herself from the mess of people, she ran a hand through her hair and looked around at the people in front of her in the foyer.

Her father and mother, Ned and Catelyn, were standing together, with their arms around each other and smiling brightly at their youngest daughter. Robb stood tall and handsome, grinning broadly next to Jon, who Arya felt a surge of affection for as she realized how much she had missed him. Sansa was smiling gently, looking as beautiful as ever with her gorgeous red hair tied up in a perfect bun, not a hair out of place. And Bran and Rickon were sharing wide smiles for their older sister. Arya's beloved dog, Nymeria, was nestled into Arya's side, rubbing her nose lightly up her leg. Arya had forgotten how big she was, and seeing her for the first time in almost a year was refreshing. She had missed being home very much.

"Welcome home, Arya," Cat said as she walked her daughter through the house with one arm around her shoulders. "Are you hungry? Did you eat on the plane? Come, plane food is absolutely horrible anyway, we'll fix you something immediately. Robb, get your sister's suitcases from the car now. Jon, go help him." Cat perched herself on one of the stools by their kitchen island and Arya followed suit. She saw out of the corner of her eye a horde of people coming out of the kitchen doors to begin cooking.

"We're preparing a dinner for tonight," Ned explained when he caught Arya's questioning gaze at the cooks. "A welcome home party, if you will. Not a very big one," he said quickly as he saw Arya begin to protest. "It's just a few close friends. Robb's wife, Jeyne. Jon's girlfriend, Ygritte. Yours and Sansa's friend Margaery. Oh, and you remember Gendry, don't you?"

Arya could have sworn she felt her heart skip a beat before dropping to the bottom of her stomach. It had been almost two years since she had seen Gendry Waters, the best friend of Robb and Jon. She had been good friends with him, as well, before she went off to college and he got a job somewhere in Europe two years ago. Apparently he had returned. Maybe for a visit, maybe for good. Arya didn't know, but she knew that there was going to be at least one thing that wouldn't be letting her down at dinner tonight.

. . .

"You dress differently now."

Arya jumped and turned around, putting a hand to her chest and feeling her heart racing in her chest. She took her feet out of the pool and dried them on a towel, keeping her eyes off of Gendry. She deliberately took her time, letting him wait before she answered him, hoping her voice took on a careless tone. She wanted to seem cool and collected. "How do you see that?" she asked.

Gendry went to sit beside her on the ground next to the pool and crossed his ankles in front of him. "When we were growing up, you wore nothing but huge t-shirts and shorts you'd stolen from Jon's closet. And when I left two years ago, you looked pretty much the same. You look different."

Arya looked down at herself and the clothes she was currently wearing. A sheer loose dark blue crop top over a black tank top with a pair of black denim shorts. She'd taken off her white sandals before she'd dipped her feet in the pool, but they were thrown aside next to her. Shrugging casually, Arya leaned back on her hands and looked up at the dark sky. "You weren't expecting me to dress like that forever, were you?"

He shrugged, too, and moved closer to her. Arya pretended not to notice, but if he had moved just a little bit closer, he would have heard her breath hitch quietly in her throat. "I don't know. It's really the only way I've ever seen you. Unless you count those few times your mother and Sansa convinced you to wear a dress for some party or another." Gendry looked over at her and Arya turned her head to face him. His bright blue eyes seemed to be burning, but it could have been the blackness of the night sky contrasting with the vibrant color. "This suits you. I like it."

She smiled to herself and got up, brushing off her bare legs, looking down to see him watching her movements. "We should go back inside. Robb and Jon will think you've kidnapped me."

"Why'd you come out here? It's your welcome home party."

"I didn't want a party. Besides, it's only a few people. I just missed home. I wanted a little time to myself to remember what it was like back here." Arya watched as Gendry stood up and together they made their way to the door leading back inside to the living room where Arya's siblings and friends were still spending time together. Her parents had long gone upstairs, and the little gathering planned had lasted longer than they had thought it would.

"It's already almost midnight. I think everyone might start leaving soon anyway," Gendry said, pausing by the door with one hand on the handle.

Arya leaned against the glass, crossing her arms over her chest and one ankle over the other. "Are you going to be leaving?" she asked him nervously.

"Maybe." He copied her body language, and Arya had a feeling he was pulling it off much better than she was. "I'll be back soon, though."

Deep in the back of her mind, Arya allowed herself to wonder why he was telling her this. He was Robb and Jon's friend, after all. they had gotten along, yes, but Arya had always been so timid around him, too shy of her own feelings that seemed to steadily build each time he came near her. It was only when she got older that she became more comfortable around him, and that was only due to the fact that she had accepted he was five years older than her and by the time a relationship with him would be considered appropriate, she would have been over her silly childlike crush on her brothers' best friend. It seemed, however, that no matter how much time passed between them, and no matter how many miles were put between them, Arya still remained utterly fascinated by him and she doubted it would ever change.

"It's good to see you home again, Arya," Gendry said, breaking Arya out of the shell of her thoughts.

She looked up distractedly and smiled, relieved that she wasn't blushing. Together, they walked back into the house where Ygritte and Jon had disappeared, off to the apartment they shared according to Sansa. Jeyne and Robb were still there, though, along with Margaery, but Arya could tell they were getting tired, so she told them to go off and get some sleep. After another hug from Robb and Jeyne, and one last kiss on the cheek from Margaery, Gendry was the last guest in the house. Sansa disappeared up the stairs and into her room, and suddenly Arya was alone with him once again.

Gendry stepped forward and gave her a tight hug, nearly lifting her off the floor from the height difference. Arya hugged him back just as fiercely, just the tips of her toes brushing the floor. "I've missed you," he said quietly into her hair, and Arya laughed once as she was placed back on her feet, smiling widely at him.

"I've missed you, too. It's good to be home." Arya turned around to head for the stairs and finally go to bed, but Gendry spoke one last time.

"Arya," he called out, and she turned her head. "Would you like to meet up for coffee tomorrow?"

The words coming out of his mouth caused flowers to bloom in her chest and take hold of her, making her unable to breathe and feel light as air at the same time. She smiled once more at him and nodded silently, scared to open her mouth and speak. Gendry grinned back at her in response and then he was out the door and Arya was in her room though she had no memory of how she got there. She looked over at her clock on her nightstand as she buried herself under her blankets and closed her eyes to sleep.

It was just past midnight.


	2. Open Your Eyes

**A/N: This entire chapter was written while listening to You And I by Ingrid Michaelson. I highly suggest listening to that song while reading this because it's so cute and it fits so well!**

 _It's only coffee, it's not a date_ , Gendry repeated to himself as he sat down at a table in the corner of the small shop. _It's not a date, it's just coffee. It can't be date, she's Robb and Jon's little sister!_

Gendry ran his hands through his hair, only succeeding in messing it up more than it already was. He needed to get a hold of himself, get Arya Stark out of his head. She was five years younger than him, barely legal, way out of his league, the little sister of his two best friends. . .and right in front of him.

"You look deep in thought," Arya commented as she took a seat across from him. She draped her bag across the back of the chair and crossed her legs under the table. "I hope I'm not interrupting."

Gendry shook his head. "No, of course not!" he said, sounding just a little too eager for his taste.

Luckily, Arya didn't notice. "Good. So, coffee? Did you order already, or should I get a waitress?"

"I ordered for myself, but I didn't know what you'd like, so I figured I'd let you decide for yourself. No assumptions," Gendry said, smiling sheepishly at her. As if on cue, the waitress appeared with his cup of coffee and took Arya's order, disappearing once again within moments.

"So," Arya began, folding her hands on the table. Gendry got the distinct impression that she looked like a business woman. "What have I missed while I was away?"

Gendry shrugged. "Nothing, really. Everything's been pretty boring."

Arya raised her eyebrows. "For two whole years?" she asked in disbelief. "I don't believe you. Come on. Tell me stories. Tell me about the embarrassing things my brothers did while I was away. Tell me embarrassing things _you_ did while I was away."

He snorted. "Please," said Gendry. "I would never betray the drunken secret moments that passed between your brothers and I. And don't bother asking them about me, either. It's the Bro Code."

The waitress reappeared with Arya's coffee and she took it with a thanks, sipping at it. "Is the Bro Code even a real thing?" she asked, snorting. "I thought it was just something guys used so no one would fuck their crush."

Gendry cocked his head to the side, trying not to laugh. "Well, that's one way to put it. But it's a very serious matter to Robb and Jon and I. Just ask them, we had a whole ceremony when we were fifteen and everything."

Arya laughed softly, imagining fifteen year old Robb, Jon, and Gendry sitting in a circle in one of their rooms while they pledged to be bros forever and never break their sacred code until the day they die. She ran her hand through her hair nervously, trying to wrack her brain for something to say. "So if you can't tell me any stories that have happened, what can you tell me that I've missed? Since you're so focused on being very boring today," she teased, her eyes sparkling brightly with laughter as she poked fun at him just like she always used to.

"Well, your parents missed you a lot," he commented plainly.

Arya groaned. "Gendry! I'm dying here. There must be _something_ that I missed while I was gone."

In the end, Gendry ended up telling her every story he had with her brothers, and even some stories that were just of him being an idiot. She laughed her way through their date that wasn't really a date and by the time she said she had to go home, she really didn't want to.

Gendry offered to drive her so she wouldn't have to walk back, and Arya accepted so she could get to spend just a little bit more time with him. They spent the drive in silence, Arya twirling the ends of her hair anxiously and Gendry trying to keep his eyes fixed on the road and nothing else.

When he parked in front of her house, Arya popped the door open and walked up to the door, hearing Gendry walking behind her. She had a thought nagging her in the back of her mind, reminding her that you normally walked someone back to the door if you were on a date, but shoved the thought away hastily.

"I'm really happy we did this, Gendry," she said, smiling a little.

"Me, too."

Arya took a deep breath, reaching a hand behind her so she could feel for the doorknob. Biting her lip, she broke eye contact for a split second to check she had it in her hand before turning back to him to say goodbye.

And she felt lips.

Not on her own mouth, of course. But on her cheek.

Gendry had pressed his lips to her cheek as softly as he could, making Arya's heart start to speed up. She let out a little breath and her eyes rolled up to the sky, praying for a sign to tell her what to do next. _Keep your eyes open,_ her brain told her. _Don't let him catch you with your eyes closed. He'll think you're weird_. Luckily, she didn't need to do anything else. Because Gendry pulled back at that second, looking at her with wide eyes that seemed both triumphant and deathly scared at the same time. "I'm. . .I'm sorry," he stuttered. "I didn't, like, _plan_ on doing that or anything, but, you know. . ." He trailed off without finishing his sentence, looking down as his cheeks began to sport bright red splotches and spread to the rest of his face and down his neck.

Arya shrugged like it was no big deal. "Yeah, it's fine," she said, laughing it off. "I'll, um, see you around, Gendry. Goodnight." She walked inside her house, pressing her back against it and biting her lip to fight her smile from breaking free on her face.


	3. Wet

**A/N: Sorry this chapter was a day late! Work kept me longer than I wanted, but on the bright side, I have a playlist for A Wrecked Remembrance, which you can check out at 8tracks emmaawaatson / a-wrecked-remembrance. Don't forget to remove all the spaces for the link.**

 **In other news, for the people who are following The Age Of Indecency, updates are currently on hold until the end of Gendrya Week 2015. So don't be alarmed by the lack of updates, the chapters are still being written. They're just not being posted yet.**

"Arya!"

Arya whipped her head around, feeling the rain splatter everywhere as her hair swung around with the sharp turn of her head. Her entire body was drenched, and the storm she had got caught in currently showed no signs of getting any lighter.

Gendry was standing there, under the awning of what looked like some old and crumbling building with a faded sign hanging over an awning. It must have been some old shop in another time, but Arya couldn't care less. Her eyes were fixed on Gendry's hands. He had an umbrella with him, shielding him from the storm.

He beckoned her under the awning and Arya ran under, shivering from the freezing rain that continuously pelted her skin. "Hi," she said, her teeth chattering together.

Gendry stepped closer to her, moving the umbrella so it covered them both, though it didn't make much a difference since Arya was already dripping wet, and she was under the protection of the awning, even though it seemed flimsy.

"What are you doing out here in a storm like this?" he asked her, his voice raising a few octaves so she could hear him over the sound of the storm and wind.

"I was coming home when it just started pouring rain," Arya explained, squeezing the water from her hair and letting it fall to the pavement in small droplets. "What about you?"

Gendry shrugged. "Same for me. It's like the sky just opened and decided to flood us all." He thought for a moment. "It's all very Noah of Ark. A bit freaky, if you think about it."

Arya snorted. "Hopefully, we won't be drowning in a flood that only has one family of survivors but a bunch of animals living on."

Gendry laughed once, looking at her out of the corner of his eye. Silence fell over them like a blanket, but the sound of the rain kept them from thinking very much, disturbing their train of thought.

The two of them stayed there for a few more minutes before the first rumble of thunder rolled in. Arya closed her eyes and leaned her head against the wall of the building she was standing under. Gendry noticed her expression and looked at her, curiosity mingling with concern as he gazed at her. "Arya," he began, moving closer to her, "are you scared of thunderstorms?" he asked her slowly, trying his best to make it clear he was not making fun of her at all, but rather trying to comfort her and let her know there was nothing to be scared of. His questions were answered when Arya nodded her head, looking very small as she kept her eyes on him and forced them so stay there so she wouldn't have to look out past the awning to the storm that was raging around them.

"Just look at me," Gendry instruced her in a soothing voice, coaxing her to look at him so she was distracted. "Just keep your eyes on me and try to block out the sounds of the storm. Okay? There's nothing to be scared of. It's just some rain." He decided it was best not to point out the bolt of lightning he had seen flash behind her just then. "Arya." She opened her eyes, realizing that she had closed them subconsciously. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Arya considered telling him the truth and saying no, she was absolutely not okay and that thunderstorms had scared her ever since she was a little girl, often being the source of all her nightmares. But instead she just nodded shakily. "Yeah, I'll be fine."

. . .

Arya laughed as she swung around the street pole, feeling light raindrops cascade down her face gently. The rain had finally let up, settling for a light drizzle. The thunder and lightning had stopped, and Arya and Gendry had eventually decided to step out from their half-shelter once Arya gave him a positive yes that she was definitely okay and wasn't scared anymore of the thunder now that it had stopped. She was currently trying not to slip as she spun around on the street pole, giggles escaping her lips as Gendry stared at her in awe.

He stepped closer to her, his left hand fitting on her shoulder and the other taking her hand in his. "Rain suits you," he blurted out. Arya raised her eyebrows at him as she processed this, and she was once again encased in a fit of laughter, her giddiness rubbing off on him. Gendry felt high on her own happiness, and he couldn't help it anymore; he kissed her.

Arya froze under his lips. She definitely wasn't laughing anymore. No, she was kissing him back.

Her arms went up around his neck and moved her lips against his slowly, starting a slow and sensual dance of their two mouths.

Moments passed between them, nothing able to interrupt them until Arya made a sound in the back of her throat and backed away, a look of slight disgust passing over her face. There were faint black marks under her eyes, but her expression made Gendry nervous. Had he made a mistake?

"That was nothing like the movies," Arya remarked, swiping her finger under her eyes and coming off black.

"What?" he asked, confused.

"My makeup," Arya said exasperatedly, waving her hand in front of her face and signaling the black marks that were still there despite her best efforts to get it off her face. "In the movies, the girl's makeup is still picture-perfect, but mine's all smudged. Look at my fingers." She held out her hands to prove her point, showing him the leftover streaks of mascara and eyeliner smudged on her fingers. "I mean, they probably put waterproof makeup on them so it wouldn't run, but seriously, how was I to know there would be a huge thunderstorm today? And how was I supposed to know that I would be getting kissed in the rain? Like, that's just a total shock right there. Completely blindsided me, and if I hadn't liked it, I'd be kicking your ass right now. But all I wanna do is get in some dry clothes."

And with that, Arya walked away from Gendry, leaving him gaping after her, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. After a few steps, Arya turned around and raised her eyebrows at him. "Well?" she asked, eyebrows raised. "Aren't you coming?"


	4. Secret Relationship

**A/N: I'm so ashamed by the length of this chapter. 887 words. Excuse me while I throw myself a little pity party.**

Heat was surrounding her, her lungs had been robbed of breath, and screams were hitching in her throat, held back desperately for fear of being too loud and drawing attention to herself. Gendry was everywhere, or at least, it felt like that. Arya wanted to push him away, tell him that she was feeling too much, but she couldn't _speak_. Finally, Gendry pulled back, breathing heavily, and rested his forehead against hers. "I'm sorry," he panted, swallowing hard. He was supporting all of his own weight on his forearms above her, and Arya wanted nothing more than to pull him back down to her.

She shook her head, her own chest heaving. "Don't apologize. I didn't stop you," she reminded, blushing a little. "We just got a little carried away." _A little_ was a bit of an understatement. They had been seeing each other in secret for the past two weeks, and they had never gone any farther than kissing. And that one time he had touched her breast, but that had technically been an accident and whenever Arya thought about it, she started blushing violently, her face heating up like a goddamned furnace, so she rarely let it come to mind. But tonight, he had his apartment to himself and had been very clear when he told Robb and Jon that he had an important date and to stay away. Though he didn't mean it _in that way_ , they had obviously taken it that way and promised to stay out of his way for the night, going to their own homes. Gendry had just been trying to prevent them from finding out that he, a twenty-four year old man, was dating their nineteen year old little sister (who they were _very_ protective of, and he knew that) and had a plan to woo her for the night with a special date prepared in his very own kitchen by himself.

And it seemed that Arya loved home cooked meals because as soon she saw what he had prepared, she was on him, attacking him with kisses and hugs of gratitude that quickly turned into something a little more desire-driven, and had led to their current position on his couch where Gendry was laying down with Arya stradding his waist.

"Gendry?" Jon's voice rang out through the apartment, and Gendry really didn't mean to knock Arya off of his body as he shot up from the couch. He had just. . .forgotten that she was there in his state of panic. She glared up at him, her hair all messed up and the pout she was currently wearing on her lips making her look absolutely adorable (though he'd never tell her that he thought her _adorable_ , not unless he wanted a well-aimed kick to the shin). Arya casually got up from the floor, leaving Gendry to flounder on the couch, desperately trying to cover up his lap as she went to greet her brother. Or her death. To Gendry, it was basically the same thing in his current situation.

"Hey, Jon," Arya said as she rounded the corner and appeared in Jon's line of sight. Jon, apparently, was not very pleased to see her because his eyebrows drew together in confusion and he looked mildly annoyed to see his little sister hanging out in his older best friend's apartment. At ten o'clock at night. Alone. With a dinner half-eaten on the kitchen table that stood just to their left.

"What are you doing here?" Jon asked her, a little rude if Arya said so herself. Though she doubted anyone would pay attention if she voiced her thoughts.

"Having dinner with Gendry," she said simply.

As if on cue, Gendry walked out of the living room and appeared next to Arya, wearing a slightly sheepish expression on his face as he stood there, rocking back on the balls of his feet.

"I thought you had a special date tonight," Jon said, not even bothering to hide the rude tone.

"I did—do," Gendry said, correcting himself automatically when he saw Arya's expression cloud over threateningly. Apparently she wanted him to go down with her tonight.

Jon's face changed completely, as if he had understood they were seeing each other before but hadn't accepted it until Gendry just confirmed it. He nodded once and before anyone could even blink, he punched Gendry in the face.

"Fuck!" Gendry yelled, doubling over, and Arya let out a sharp breath, glaring daggers at Jon.

"Right," Jon said simply, flexing his hand. "You can go back to your date now. But that should keep you from sleeping with her for a few more weeks." He turned around and walked out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him, leaving an echo in the room.

Arya looked over at him, her face slightly pink at the mention of them sleeping together. "I wasn't going to sleep with you tonight," she told him, trying to keep her voice nonchalant but failing.

Gendry let out a short laugh, wincing painfully when his cheek began to sting from Jon's fist. "Yeah, that's okay. Just as long as we're together long enough for me to have your consent."


	5. Shame

**A/N: I really don't know what's going on with me right now. I just can't write longer than 1k anymore. Work is getting to me, and it's really pissing me off. But Gendrya Week is almost over, so I promise I'll finish off the week with a bang and it's gonna be great and everyone will love it, I promise. Once again, sorry for the late update and I hope you still choose to follow this story till the end.**

He was flirting.

They were at a club and she was sitting at the bar next to him and the bartender was wearing a shirt that was cut _way_ too low in Arya's opinion—and _no_ , she did not give one single fuck that it was considered her uniform, because she was leaning too far over the bar's counter top and smiling at Gendry in an all-too friendly manner and Gendry was _flirting back_.

He was in a world of trouble.

"Arya," Gendry spoke up, finally peeling his eyes away from the bartender and turning towards her. "You haven't even touched your drink. Come on, it's good." He took a sip of his own drink as if to prove his point.

Asshole.

"I'm fine," she said shortly, gripping the glass in her fist tightly and making a face when the girl gave another winning smile in Gendry's general direction. Bitch. She'd be damn lucky if she didn't end up with a bruised eye by the end of the night.

Feeling fed up with Gendry and the bartender—apparently her name was _Allison_ —Arya hopped off her bar stool and stalked over to the bathroom. She felt hot and sweaty, the technicolor lights pulsing around the club and the crowd of people packed in tightly together like a can of sardines making Arya feel incredibly claustrophobic. She burst through the bathroom's doors, blinking rapidly at the sudden brightness of the bathroom after spending so much time in the dark club's room.

She brushed back her hair from her shoulders, breathing in deeply as she wet her hands and ran them over her face, rubbing her eyes tiredly and looking at her reflection. She really did look too exhausted.

Arya dried her hands and walked out of the bathroom, almost running into Gendry, who had apparently been waiting outside for her. She scrunched up her nose, crossing her arms across her chest. "What are you doing here?"

"I was waiting for you," he said simply, as if it was strange she'd even ask.

Arya raised her eyebrows, brushing past him casually. "Well, aren't you crossing into dangerously stalker-ish and clingy boyfriend territory," she mocked.

It was the first time she had officially called him her boyfriend. Sure, they'd been going out for a bit, and it's been a week since their relationship had been thrown out to the world due to Jon's big mouth, but Arya and Gendry had never really put a label on what they were doing. Not that they weren't aware they were boyfriend and girlfriend. It was just. . .why put a label on something that seemed so simple, something that Arya wanted to take in stride? She didn't want to complicate her friendship with Gendry, and labels were the perfect way to do that, in her eyes. But it seemed that that stupid bartender had complicated her delicate relationship with Gendry all by herself.

"So I'm your boyfriend now?" Gendry asked, his eyes lighting up like a fucking Christmas tree.

Arya just scowled at him.

"You know you are. Shut up," said Arya.

Gendry was a little taken aback at her vicious tone. "Did I do something to you?" he asked.

"You were flirting," she said. "You're my _boyfriend_ and you were _flirting_."

Comprehension filled Gendry's eyes, putting out the sparkle that had been there just moments ago. "Oh," he said stupidly, and Arya felt frustration and anger mixing together within her.

"Aren't you happy with me?" Arya asked, substituting her worry and genuine concern with disgust.

Gendry scoffed. "Of course I am," he told her, backing her up against the wall next to the door of the bathroom. "Don't you see that what that girl was doing was pathetic? She was flirting with me when she knew very well I was here with you. And I wouldn't want to leave this club with anybody but you. Because, well, you're pretty fun to be around when you aren't jumping to conclusions and disappearing off to bathrooms when you get upset without even asking me to explain first."

Shame was lining his face, and Arya felt a little bad for him, though she was still annoyed with him. She rolled her eyes and slumped back against the wall. "Fine. But you're not off the hook just yet. You'll have to work for my full forgiveness."

Gendry's eyes lit up again. "Oh, really?" he asked as he began to lead her out of the club with his arm around her shoulders. "And what exactly will I have to do to earn said forgiveness?"

Arya pretended to think, tapping her finger against her chin. "Oh, I'm sure we'll think of something."


	6. Nervous

**A/N: I am honestly so proud of this chapter. I think it's my favorite one so far, it kind of just wrote itself. In my opinion, it's my best chapter so far of A Wrecked Remembrance, so I hope you guys like it as much as I do!**

God help her, she felt like she was drowning, and there was no lifeline for her to grab onto and save herself. Her eyes kept squeezing shut without her permission, she wasn't able to breathe properly, and her hands just kept on making fists and flexing out her fingers repeatedly in an attempt to hold onto something to keep herself grounded. Because, really, why did it feel like she couldn't move? Why was it that every time Gendry kissed her, Arya always felt like she was going to faint from feeling so lightheaded and pleased?

Gendry himself was looking quite smug, a smirk gracing his lips. If Arya hadn't been trying to catch her breath, she'd be yelling at him and calling him a stupid bastard who was unable to understand the concept of mercy.

As his hand slipped underneath the hem of Arya's tank top, the muscles in her stomach tensed up. Everything in her body went on automatic lock without her even realizing it until Gendry was prying her fingers off his shoulders one by one and trying to get her to look him in the eye.

"Arya," he said softly, coaxing her to look him in the eye.

Arya dazedly glanced up at him, her eyes fluttering rapidly, opening and closing. She gave him a soft smile, taking her arms out of his grasp so she could brush back the black hair from his forehead.

"Arya, are you okay?" he asked, concern lacing his voice. Feeling her body seize up like that. . .it worried him. He wondered if she was truly comfortable with him, if she was willing to give him any part of her.

"'Course I'm okay," said Arya. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"You just tensed up. Your whole body. . .I just touched your stomach under your shirt and all of a sudden, it was as if you couldn't move. Like you were paralyzed or something."

Arya looked down, avoiding his gaze. She'd been enjoying herself, and that was the scary part. If she was enjoying herself, why wasn't she able to give herself to him? She wanted to, so badly, but something about the idea of opening herself up to him in every way, mind, body, and soul, terrified her. Gendry wanted to, and she knew that, but Arya had never been the girl to give a boy something because they were horny. And Gendry was different. He said it on their very first official date: He'd wait for her as long as she needed. But they'd been dating over a month now. Shouldn't they have already been fucking like rabbits by now? She knew Sansa hardly waited until the third date if she really liked the guy, Margaery didn't even get past the appetizer at dinner before she was luring the boy back to her home, and Ygritte and Jon might have waited a bit before they eventually gave into one another but it was a regular occurrence nowadays that Arya would stumble into Jon's apartment and find Ygritte walking around in one of his big t-shirts with messy hair and pleased eyes that screamed exhaustion in the best way. Everyone around her was having sex and she felt pressured to do it, and by God did she want to do it but. . .she just _wasn't ready_.

"I want to sleep with you," Arya blurted out, feeling her face heat up the moment she finished her sentence. That was horrifying! How embarrassing could she get? No one in their right mind would just yell out that they want to sleep with their boyfriend unless they were drunk or had already done it a few times!

Gendry, for his part, was trying not to laugh. He was failing horribly. But underneath the mirth was a genuine fondness for the girl that was laying underneath him on his bed, her hair all messed up and her clothes wrinkled from where his hands had been roaming just a few moments ago. "If you want to sleep with me," Gendry began as he rolled off of Arya and settled down into a comfortable position next to her on the bed, "then I have no problem with that. But you have to really want it for me to say yes. I don't want to be worried I'm going to force you into something you don't really want, and then have you regret what we did the next morning. I want to make you happy, Arya, as happy as you could ever possibly be. You deserve to have an amazing first time and I wish that I can be that for you. I don't know if we'll make it long enough for you to feel comfortable enough with me to give me that part of yourself, but I hope you do because it's something more for me. And I really hope that it's going to be something more for you, too."

Arya leaned over and kissed him softly on the lips. "You always make these really sappy speeches and I want to be pissed off by them so badly because I always feel like I have to make one in return, but they're too damn sweet."

Gendry shrugged. "Yeah, I'm just that awesome," he joked, laughing when Arya punched him in the side. "But really, you don't have to make a speech for me if you don't want to. It's not, like, a requirement in the How To Date Gendry Handy Handbook or anything."

"Is there a handbook?" Arya asked. "Because I think I might need it."

Gendry turned on his side and looked at her seriously. "You don't," he said, his voice full of admiration and happiness and just plain _love_ that Arya wanted to rip off her shirt right now and give him her virginity. Because what was the big deal? It was hers to give away to whoever she wished. Margaery might not have thought it meant much and that had been her decision, so she slept with who she wanted and it was fine. Sansa liked to know someone for a bit before trusting them with something she viewed as so important, and it was also fine. Ygritte found Jon, and she felt committed to him so she only slept with him and that was more than fine in Arya's book. But her? She just wanted to be with Gendry in every possible way, no matter how it turned out.

So she gave him a smile and turned around so her back was fitted against her chest and they fell asleep for the night.

And two weeks later, when Arya finally bared all of herself to him and gave him the virginity she had thought was so important? Her thoughts were, _Well, sex isn't that big of a deal after all. But I'm glad I'm doing it with Gendry._


	7. Heat

**A/N: This story, along with Gendrya Week 2015, is now coming to an end and it's pretty sad for me. I definitely missed this kind of pressure of filling out the prompts on time, and even though I did update late twice, I do hope that everyone enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed reading it. This ending is the one I wanted to write, and I think it's the right way to end it. Arya will never be completely sure about big steps like marriage or children, but, as she says in this chapter, Gendry is her person. And no matter how far apart they drift, they will eventually be led back together.**

 **A little side note, I updated my Gendrya playlist, so check that out at** **(/emmaawaatson/a-wrecked-remembrance)**

Three years after Arya and Gendry spoke together at midnight, and after they had a coffee date that wasn't a date, and had kissed in the rain, and after she had told Jon about their relationship shamelessly, after she had felt insanely jealous of a desperate bartender and after Arya had had sex with him for the first time ever, they were getting married.

And it was _hot_.

Sansa was pissed, to say the least. She looked like a fairy princess, with her red hair curled elegantly and parted in a nice half-up half-down hairstyle, and her silver dress billowed around her every time she moved. But she was pissed, and Arya was trying not to laugh.

"It's not funny, Arya!" Sansa shrieked, making Arya let a small snort slip through her lips. She gave her a warning glare, telling her today was not the day she should be laughing. "This is your _wedding_. And it's the hottest day of the summer."

"And the wedding is inside, Sansa!" Arya reminded her for the seventh time today.

"But what about the guests?" Sansa said, keeping her hands busy by adjusting the hem of her sister's wedding dress. "They'll be sitting in their cars wondering why the hell the bride and groom chose the hottest day of the year to get married."

"As if me and Gendry are weather reporters," Arya scoffed, smoothing down the white skirt of her dress. Her hands were shaking, and she hurried to hide them from Sansa so she couldn't see the nervous vibe she was setting off.

Sansa, though, saw it. Of course she saw it. Her eyes softened and she took her sister's hands from behind her back where she hiding them and held them in her own. "Arya. Are you okay?"

"'Course I'm okay," said Arya blithely. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Sansa hesitated before saying the next words, looking scared to speak but charging forward. "Do you. . .do you really want to do this?"

Arya opened her mouth to say the automatic answer, _yes_ , but paused. She'd been saying yes so many times over the past six months, she was sure she sounded like a broken record. She said yes to Gendry when he proposed, full of happiness and joy that he had finally asked her, and then she said yes when her mother asked if she was sure he was the one she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. She sounded clear and sure of her choice, and she was positive that her answer would never change when it came to Gendry. She answered yes when Sansa asked if she could be her wedding planner, sure she was going to regret her answer due to her sister's control freak tendencies and girlish personality, but she was immensely grateful and happy when Sansa told her the same word after Arya asked her to be her maid of honor. She said yes mindlessly whenever Sansa showed her flowers or centerpieces, band names or even wedding dresses that were possibilities for her wedding. But was she ready to get married? Arya didn't know anymore. She was just so tired of saying yes, and for once she wanted to say _no_.

"No, I'm not sure," Arya answered truthfully. Sansa's eyes widened and her lips parted, ready to tell her to walk away right now, but Arya held up her hand to keep her quiet.

"But I'm positive that Gendry is my person. He's just. . .he's the person I had a crush on since I was a little girl, and then I was off to college and there was no way I could have still gotten butterflies in my stomach whenever someone mentioned his name, but I did. And then I didn't see him for two years and I honestly thought it was going to be okay, and I'd find someone I'd be mildly happy with even though I didn't get butterflies when they said _his_ name. But when I came back, and Gendry was there, I felt like I was fifteen again, all giggly and trying to flirt without making it too obvious what I was doing. He's been there for me my whole life, as a friend and a boyfriend and a fiancee, and soon he's going to be my husband. And even though a huge wedding isn't what I really wanted in the beginning and even though I'm scared to death that marriage is going to tear us apart at some point, it's going to be okay. Because no matter how far we drift apart or how many times we get into fights that end up in us sleeping in separate rooms, he's still my person. And I love him."

Sansa had tears in her eyes when Arya finished and she smacked her arm lightly. "Don't say things like that," she hissed angrily. "You're going to make me cry and then my makeup will be even more ruined than it already is because of this goddamned heat."

There was a soft knock on the door and Cat came in, took one look at her youngest daughter, and burst into tears.

"Oh, my God," Arya huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. She watched as Sansa went to comfort their mother, but was fighting back tears of her own, and bit her lip to keep from smiling. "Can we go? My wedding's about to start and I would like to go before there's a stupid drought warning."

Walking down the aisle was probably the hardest part of the entire wedding. Arya was shaking the entire time, and Arya wished that her father had been able to come to her wedding and see her get married. But cancer was merciless and when he passed away a year ago, grief clutched her like a choking hand. But Cat was holding onto her tightly and she hoped that Ned was somewhere watching this unfold before his eyes and be happy. Arya took a shaky breath as she neared the small step where Gendry was standing. He had always been the more open one in their relationship, never afraid to hide how he felt about her. So she really shouldn't have shocked to see so much love and admiration on his face, but it still stole Arya's breath away.

Arya walked forwards, facing him with a bright smile on her own face.

"You're so lucky you didn't get a princess gown like Sansa wanted," Gendry told her, making Arya laugh. It was true; her dress was long but it didn't have a large skirt and a bunch of lace like her sister hoped for. Instead, it was a plain white fitted dress with no beads or flowers, just a purple bow tied around her waist. "Are you sure about this?" he asked her, nerves flying through his words.

Arya thought about what she'd told Sansa earlier, and how she'd been tired of saying yes. But now she said it clearly, feeling sure that yes was possibly the best word in the entire world.


End file.
